Wexford
County, which is located in south-east Ireland, is home to three villages with
very unique histories. The story begins 327 years ago in the village of Ferns
where Bishop Luke Waddinge, in the first year of his bishopric, published a
volume of his verse under the title of “A Small Garland of Pious and Godly
Songs, Composed by a devout Man, For the Solace of his Friends and neighbours in
their afflictions” (Ghent, 1694). It is said that Bishop Waddinge's volume was
widely distributed and was held in such esteem that it was republished in 1728
and again in 1731. It contained a number of carols, poems and other verses,
including ten Christmas carols.

Right: Wexford County,
outlined in yellow.
Click here
to see larger map of the County
and several of the towns and villages mentioned.

Three of those carols were
remembered by a young priest, Rev. William Devereux of
Drinagh, who himself wrote a number of
Christmas carols, some of which he incorporated into his own garland of verse, “A
New Garland, containing songs for Christmas,” and which also included the three
carols by Bishop Waddinge. The date is uncertain, but it is said that Fr.
Devereux composed a number of Christmas carols during a period of convalescence
between 1728 and 1730. As was the case with Bishop Waddinge, Rev. Devereaux's
volume was widely distributed within his parish of Drinagh, and to many other
towns and villages within Ireland including nearby Kilmore.

Finally, in 1751, another young priest, Rev. Peter Devereux, began a new
tradition in his parish of Kilmore. Drawing on the work of Luke Waddinge and
William Devereux, 13 of their carols were compiled, and from this eight carols
were regularly sung between the first Mass on Christmas Day and the Sunday
closest to Epiphany, Jan. 6, also known as Twelfth Day. I have been unable to
determine which eight are most regularly sung.

In many communities, there is the old custom of Christmas caroling from
door-to-door. Likewise, many communities see Christmas concerts conducted during
the month of December. But that is not the case in Kilmore. There, these songs
are only sung in St. Mary's Catholic Church during the Mass and only on
Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and on the Sundays that fall within the 12 days
of Christmas.

The carols are sung during the distribution of Holy Communion by a choir of six
men who are split into two groups of three, and who sing alternate verses. It is
said that many villages in Ireland had similar traditions, but that since World
War I, only Kilmore still celebrates this tradition, which has continued,
unbroken, for 260 years.

The Kilmore carols are not set to the
rumbustious type of fuguing tunes associated with the traditions around
Sheffield, but rather they are more ethereal and mystical in character. In
predating the Yorkshire and Derbyshire traditions, the Kilmore tradition
provides a glimpse into an earlier form of carolling, characterised by a single
melody line, which is ornamented, free flowing and unhurried, often modal in
character, and performed by male voice in unison. It is not unusual for a carol
to last more than ten minutes.

For most of the last 260 years that this tradition has been celebrated in
Kilmore, a member of the Devereux family has been a member of this choir.
Currently, it is Dixie Devereux. From 1930 until shortly before his death in
1999, uncle Jack Devereux was a member. Jack's father was a member for over 50
years, and Jack's grandfather was also a member of this choir.

Thomas Wall, A Pious
Garland Being the December Letter and Christmas Carols of Luke Wadding (Dublin: M.H. Gill and Son, 1960). Much of this
book has been scanned and posted on the
Ask About Ireland
Website. Rev. Wall wrote: “I am deeply grateful to Father Joseph Ranson of
Enniscorthy for having made available to me his copy of the 1728 edition of the Garland,
an exceedingly rare little book.”

Joseph Ranson, “The Kilmore carols, including carols for Christmas, New Year's
Day and for the Twelfth Day, together with music in some cases,” in
The Past, the organ of the Ui Ceinnsealaigh
Historical Society, No. 5, pp. 61-102, 1949. Concerning Rev. Ranson, Rev. Wall
wrote: “Father Ranson is an authority on every aspect of the history of the
diocese of Ferns and anyone interested in the tradition of carol singing in
Wexford must read his Valuable paper on the Kilmore
carols in the organ of the Ui Ceinnsealaigh Society, The Past,
No. 5 (1949).” This article has
been scanned and posted on the
Ask About Ireland
Website.

“The
Kilmore Traditional Singers from Co. Wexford, Ireland.” Adapted from an
article by Ian Russell in the program of the Festival of Village Carols,
2 December 2006, and added to by Edwin Macadam from various sources. The first Festival was in 1992, and, apart from the year
2000, has always been held at the Community Centre in Grenoside, a suburb of
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Website:The Village Carols,
Sheffield.

Rosita Boland,
A Secret Map of Ireland (New Island
Books, 1 Sep 2005)

Remains
Historical and Literary Connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and
Chester, The Chetham Society, Vol. C, 1878, containing Collectanea Anglo-Poetica:
A Bibliographical and Descriptive Catalogue of a Portion of a Collection of
Early English Poetry with Occasional Extracts and Remarks, Biographical and
Critical, by Rev. Thomas Corser, Part VI, The Chetham Society, 1878.